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New Deaf Pastoral Ministries Program

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Office of Marketing | April 20, 2012

March 2, 2012, was a special day for VFCC. The Deaf Pastoral Ministries officiallylaunched its Deaf Pastoral Ministries program thanks to the financial contributions of Dr. Lottie Riekehof and Linda Lee Martin.

March 2, 2012, was a special day for VFCC. The Deaf Pastoral Ministries officially launched its Deaf Pastoral Ministries program thanks to the financial contributions of Dr. Lottie Riekehof and Linda Lee Martin.

God has blessed these two women in amazing ways over the years. Born in 1920, Dr. Riekehof authored “Talk to the Deaf” and “The Joy of Signing” which has been used all over the world for training leaders to the Deaf. Dr. Riekehof is one of the most respected persons in the world in anything related to the Deaf. Martin lost her hearing at the age of 11 due to a life-threatening illness. In addition to a distinguished career in education, Martin adopted 29 deaf children. Through the royalties of the book, Dr. Riekehof and Martin purchased properties to raise these Deaf children. Now they no longer need all of those properties, so they felt God leading them to begin an endowment atVFCC which will resource the training of Deaf men and women for Deaf ministries here in the United States and around the world.

Dr. Meyer said, “Chapel is used as a time to celebrate all that God has done and we will trust Him for all that will be done because of His faithfulness to Dr. Riekehof and Linda. We are profoundly grateful to these two women for their response to God’s direction to make this investment in the mission of Valley Forge Christian College. Amen and amen!!!” He went on to say, “How grateful we also are that God has brought to us Dr. JoAnn Smith, a leading educator and pastor for over 35 years in the ministry to the Deaf. Dr. Smith chairs our Deaf Pastoral Ministry program here at VFCC. Without her capable leadership, this initiative could never have happened.”

During this inaugural 2011-2012 year there have been four Deaf students enrolled in the program: Deann Dirkx, Bonnie Elliot, Ebby Johnson and Matthew Martin. "We know their step of faith to come to VFCC as pioneers will pave the way for an army of Deaf students to follow. To each of you we say, enjoy this day because we are doing all of this for you and for those who will follow in the years ahead.”

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The University of Valley Forge is a private Christian University located in Chester County, Pennsylvania, 35 miles northwest of downtown Philadelphia. UVF offers on its sprawling park-like campus, as well as online, 67 undergraduate and seven graduate degrees in the Arts, the Sciences and the Professions. The university's mission is to prepare individuals for a life of service and leadership in the church and in the world.

about UVF

University of Valley Forge is a private Christian University located in Chester County, Pennsylvania, 35 miles northwest of downtown Philadelphia. UVF offers on its sprawling park-like campus, as well as online, 67 undergraduate and seven graduate degrees in the Arts, the Sciences and the Professions. The university's mission is to prepare individuals for a life of service and leadership in the church and in the world.